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Arsenal legend Paul Merson has revealed the one team he hopes his former club avoids in the Champions League knockout stages: Real Madrid. The Gunners are virtually assured of a quarter-final spot after demolishing PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Mikel Arteta’s side will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the next round, with the two Spanish clubs set to decide their tie in tonight’s second leg. Should Arsenal progress further, they could meet Paris Saint-Germain, Aston Villa, or Club Brugge in the semi-finals. A potential final could pit them against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, or Inter Milan.

Arsenal have never won the Champions League, with their best run coming in 2006 when they finished as runners-up to Barcelona. Merson, however, believes their chances hinge on who they meet next.

“If Atletico Madrid win, Arsenal have a bit of a chance,” Merson told Sky Sports. “They play a tight, structured game and don’t blow teams away. But if Arsenal play against Real Madrid, I don’t know if they can handle their firepower over two legs, especially with key players missing.”

Real Madrid, the record 15-time Champions League winners, boast a star-studded squad featuring Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappe. They edged past Manchester City in the previous round and hold a narrow 2-1 lead over Atletico heading into tonight’s decider at the Metropolitano Stadium.

Atletico Madrid will look to overturn their deficit and may take inspiration from PSG’s comeback victory over Liverpool, where they won on penalties after a 1-0 first-leg loss. Meanwhile, PSG are likely to face Aston Villa in the quarter-finals, with the English side holding a 3-1 advantage over Club Brugge.

Merson also suggested Arsenal’s dominant 7-1 win over PSV may have masked some of their vulnerabilities. “It was a bit of a Polyfilla result,” he added. “It covered over the cracks.”